A documentary on the late Italian architect, environmentalist, philosopher.

The 2014-15 MODTriangle Architecture Movie Series, hosted by North Carolina Modernist Houses (NCMH) and sponsored by Sarah Sonke of MODTriangle, continues Wednesday, February 4, at 7:30 p.m. with a special screening of “The Vision of Paolo Soleri: Prophet In The Desert” at Full Frame Theatre, American Tobacco Campus, in downtown Durham.

Soleri (1919-2013) came to America in 1946 to meet and mentor under Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West, Arizona. After a year and a half, Soleri left Wright to embark on a blazing original course of his own that drew people from Jimi Hendrix to Buckminster Fuller to listen and learn from the artist, philosopher, and architect.

Soleri explored the countless possibilities of human aspiration. His most outstanding endeavor is Arcosanti, an urban laboratory constructed in the Arizona high desert that focuses on innovative design, community, and environmental accountability. “Arcosanti attempts to test and demonstrate an alternative human habitat which is greatly needed in this increasingly perplexing world,” according to the Arcosanti website. Arcosanti also exemplifies Soleri’s “steadfast devotion to creating an experiential space to ‘prototype’ an environment in harmony with man.”

The film took seven years to complete but Soleri was able to view a rough cut on his final birthday in 2012. According to the Arizona news site AZCentral, Soleri enjoyed the film and gave it his approval, telling Scafuro “Bravo.”

All tickets to the film are $10 at the door. Space is limited so movie goers are encouraged to arrive early. Full Frame Theatre is located within the American Tobacco Campus at 320 Blackwell Street, #101, Durham, NC 27702.

Blueplate PR in Raleigh is sponsoring this special screening. Series sponsors include The Kitchen Specialist, VMZinc, Palette & Parlor, and MdM Historic Consultants. For more information on NCMH and the entire 2014-15 Architecture Movie Series visit www.ncmodernist.org/movies.

About NC Modernist Houses:

North Carolina Modernist Houses (NCMH) is an award-winning, 501C3 nonprofit organizations established in 2007 and dedicated to documenting, preserving, and promoting Modernist residential design. The website is now the largest open digital archive for Modernist residential design in America. NCMH also hosts popular architecture events every month and frequent home tours, giving the public access to the most exciting residential architecture, past and present. These tours and events raise awareness and help preserve these “livable works of art” for future generations. For more information: www.ncmodernist.org.